“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.” –Mark Twain

And does it matter — either way we’re screwed. I’m inclined to think it’s being run by assholes who just don’t give a shit if they destroy the universe, as long as they get their way this minute. Even so, I’m still amazed by the senseless shit people will think up, and get others to go along with. Maybe I should get back into swampland sales … anyone out there looking for a fantastic deal? Hurry! Limited time offer! Buy more, save more! Operators are standing by …

‘Tis so sweet to trust in jesus? Maybe so. But somehow, I seem to like it better when my bus driver knows what the hell she’s doing, and has a license to prove it. Not that I ride church buses (I’m bad, sorry if you’re shocked!) … but I mean, what if the driver feels a sudden urge to close his eyes and say a little prayer en route? Oh me of little faith? You’d better believe it.
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Mississippi House passes ‘Jesus Take the Wheel Act’
Daily Kos * Tue Feb 17, 2015 at 01:29 PM PST
by Jen Hayden
Mississippi lawmakers are once again tackling the big issues in the state.
The highest poverty rate of any state in the country?http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2014/09/18/mississippi-poverty-rate-highest-and-climbing/
Hahahaha … no.
The second-highest high school dropout rate in the country?http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/22/nation/la-na-nn-high-school-graduation-rate-increasing-20130122
No, no.
The second-highest teen pregnancy rate in the country?http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductive-health/states/ms.html
Awww, hell no.
What is more pressing than extreme poverty? Well, the Mississippi House did pass a bill (HB 132), nicknamed the “Jesus Take the Wheel Act”, that would exempt churches from commercial driver’s license requirements:http://www.clarionledger.com/story/politicalledger/2015/02/05/jesus-take-the-wheel-passes-house/22931465/
block quote
“This just allows small churches, some don’t have people with commercial licenses at all, and they can pick a person to drive the bus,” said state Rep. Robert Johnson III, D-Natchez, who chairs the Transportation Committee which had passed the bill earlier in the session.
Current law requires CDL-certified drivers for any vehicle transporting more than 16 passengers, including the driver. The bill would amend that law to exempt church buses designed to carry 30 passengers or less.
block quote end
To be clear, we aren’t talking about extended passenger vans. Thirty-passenger buses, like the one pictured below, are much larger than vans and all other business and schools would still have to have a CDL license to operate such a vehicle.
Since the exemption would also include buses and large transport vehicles carry children to and from events, not everyone is happy about the exemption:
block quote
When contacted by The Clarion-Ledger, longtime CDL-certified driver Troy Coll of Hattiesburg called the measure potentially dangerous.
“I think this bill is trading the safety of everyone on the road for the convenience of those operating church vehicles,” Coll said. “Since the bill covers vehicles up to 30 passengers, we’re not just talking vans with extra rows of seats – these are buses, with long frames and much larger blind spots than passenger vehicles.”
block quote endhttp://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/17/1365045/-Mississippi-House-passes-Jesus-Take-the-Wheel-Act?detail=email

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About l. l. frederick

I'm pretty ordinary, so I find any number of things in the world interesting, among them: books, music, flowers, food, social justice, politics and (sometimes!) people. As for my writing, I've decided that I can be subtle and tasteful when our only problems are esthetic ones. Or when I'm dead, whichever comes first. In the meantime, read at your own risk.

Carol, “In the shadow of their churches, who knows what they pray?” I do hate it when the world reminds me of Phil Ochs, and that’s been happening rather a lot. . I almost wish I understood this one. Is it just a cheap way to placate the plethora of churches in the state? An easy way for Mississippi legislators to sort of look as if they’re doing their damn job? This is so often what we’re seeing from government at all levels — our nominal representatives ignore what people need, piddle and impede any stray constructive efforts, or work long and hard at things absolutely contrary to the best interests of the public, with no signs they’re even embarrassed by their malfeasance. Clearly, they face no consequences for any of it — they’re being rewarded handsomely for ruining us. It’s plumb discouraging sometimes! Thanks for your comment. – Linda

Now just calm yourself Linda. Let’s get real. You are talking about Mississippi after all. Which is clearly run by imbeciles! So this is a surprise? If Tubularsock had his way ONLY Christian Children would be able to drive church big-rig busses. A quicker way to heaven. Amen.

Tubularsock, “a quicker way to heaven” — Ah yes, maybe that’s the deal — some of those ‘mysterious ways’ the lord is said to favor. But you know the fools will end up killing innocent bystanders, not just their church crowds. It would just deeply piss me off to be mowed down by some inept fanatical church driver. And I live in Ohio — which is run by our own breed of imbeciles, so it worries me to see this catch on. Thanks for commenting, and wish me luck … might be prudent to stay off the road on Sundays around here, too. – Linda

Linda here has the answer! I think we ALL need to get together and start our own church. No, really! Think about it! We could ‘feed’ the sheeple our fairytales, beliefs and lies and they would pay us for the privilege and then we could take all of our ill gotten gains and buy us a little island somewhere, faraway from America, land of the insane and live happily ever after. Think about it!

But seriously Linda, why am I not surprised? Just ignore the BIG shit and dawdle. That’s what it’s all about and the abject poor? Well, who cares about them? If they are just too poor to pay their tithes to get some churchifying, why that’s just too bad. They can either starve or head to the food shelf, become homeless or beg a spot in a lice, bedbug infested homeless shelter. The ‘christian’ thing to do is to leave them to their own devices and see what happens. As I always say, “I despair of us!”

Shelby, Thanks for your kind words. Start a church? Seems to be good money in it, for sure. And with your rich experience as the most Reverend Courtland, there’s no question you would be the lead preacher in this hypothetical new faith-based racket, er, religion of ours! But … if you’re shopping for islands … maybe I can help you out. I just happen to have a real beauty here, a new listing. And don’t worry about that seawall they’re frantically piling up — the Dutch have been fine with dikes and windmills for centuries. It’ll give the place character and charm, I feel. – Linda

Oh no kidding! I’ve been through Mississippi a few times. But you just stop for fuel and get the hell back on the road, quickly. Now we may want to ‘miss’ the whole state. Thanks for your comment. – Linda